Izuku's training continued for the three-week span between getting the confirmation he was to be attending UA and the actual first day. He saw All-Might every other day for quirk and Aizawa each morning for sparring practice. Each and every night Yamada would sit with him at his desk, the couch, or the kitchen's bar to teach him what he missed from the average education. His routine was rigorous, but anyone could tell he was enjoying it.

His free time was spent watching YouTube videos. Top Tens seemed to be a favorite. He was eager to learn just about everything the world contained. The news and various hero-based medias clouded his search history. The debut of All-Might was interesting to him and reminded him of just what he was to succeed.

He even began to learn sign language, knowing it would come in handy when he'd inevitably have to rescue someone who was non-verbal. Soon he stumbled across body language and the subconscious human behaviors that were used to communicate without words – just in case someone was non-verbal but unable to sign.

Before he realized it, the UA entrance exam was the next morning. Izuku was sitting on the pier of the beach he cleaned, looking out at the ocean and the seemingly endless sea of stars above it. He heard All-Might encroach slowly. His shoes hit the ground slowly, deliberately loud as to avoid scaring him.

"The entrance exam is tomorrow, All-" Izuku said, pausing, "Toshinori." He didn't even turn around to look at the skeletal figure behind him.

"You'll do great," he said, leaning against the pier and looking out at the horizon with his successor. "You're capable of consistently throwing a punch without shattering your arm or dislocating it."

"I'm going to have a panic attack during it, I just know it. My anti-anxiety medications won't prevent it."

Toshinori looked up at the kid and the expression on his face. His lips were in a thin line and his eyes were focused on something the would couldn't see. One of his feet dangled over the railing he was sitting on, the other was tucked up by his chest. His chin rested on it and he seemed almost at peace.

"You're perfectly prepared and capable of passing with flying colors."

"I know. I also know the stress and noise will overwhelm me," he rubbed his neck and sighed. "I know Shota and Yamada informed you of my past, but what all do you know? I mean, I'm curious. I don't like keeping secrets from you, but I don't want to talk about more than I have to."

"What makes you think I'm going to ask you?"

"You have a look on your face and your body language gave it away."

All-Might sighed, forgetting the mass empathy this keep had and his ability to read even the most closed off people and things.

"I know your father was an abusive villain and your mother died at his hands. I know he tortured you and that you have PTSD from it. That's about all. You can talk about it if you want."

Izuku sighed and tipped his head back, locking an ankle on a bar of the railing before leaning back. He sat back up and leaned back again, resting his hands across his chest. He repeated this passively, unconsciously even, and continued the conversation.

"Please don't look at me when we talk about this. I'm anxious enough already," he laughed.

All-Might returned his gaze to the horizon, sitting down on the dock and leaning against the railing. He cared about this kid more than the child knew and if he could erase his past he'd do anything in order to do so. He was so sweet and powerful, a ball of sunshine.

"The burn marks are from my father, he has a fire breathing quirk. The knife wounds are caused by his torture. The marks on my wrist are due to me pulling on restraints and the deep mark on my left wound was an attempt at uh," he paused, stopping his sit ups and rubbed his wrist. His statement expired into the air around him.

"I know Toshinori said slowly. "It's okay. I don't blame you."

Izuku shook his head and returned to his sit ups, exhaling every time he was upright again with a grim, determined expression.

"I don't like them," he said before sitting up again and staying there. "The scars, I mean. They make me feel weak."

Toshinori lifted his shirt and exposed his torso, more marred than it should ever be. "I know what you mean."

Izuku was at UA earlier than anyone else. He rode with Yamada, who went to go do a sound check. He found himself helping his Pa make sure the speakers were properly set up and that no one would trip on the wires. He taped them to the floor.

"Testing, little listeners can you hear me!?"

Izuku shot a thumbs up from the end of the stage, signaling the speakers were working just fine. He angled them a little more toward the audience, pushing the massive speakers with practiced ease as his father started reciting a practiced speech and another teacher, made of stone, ran tests on the screen behind him.

Izuku found himself in the teacher's lounge with Midnight, who was doing her makeup. He found his eyes wandering over her face and asking questions about the items she was using and how she learned how to do it. He also found himself with a small touch of concealer under his eye and a small acne spot and mascara on his eyelashes. Midnight couldn't help herself and he didn't mind.

"You're like the staff's nephew," Midnight stated, gently rubbing Izuku's cheek to blend the concealer in a little bit better. "We can't give you special privileges, but we can root for you."

Izuku smiled as Midnight placed a gentle kiss to his messy head. "You'll do just fine, you little ball of hyperactive anxiety."

"Thank you."

Izuku found himself checking in on Aizawa, who was with Nezu in the examiner's room. They were making sure the screens were all working in high quality and talking about the characteristics that make a successful hero. They had different definitions of successful.

Izuku made Aizawa a pot of coffee, seeing it being empty in the back corner of the room. He had to do something with his nervous energy.

"Izuku," Nezu said. He turned around seemingly startled. "You seem to need something to do, do you think you can adjust the camera right outside of urban battle ground three? A bird decided it would be a great bathroom."

Izuku nodded and poured the water into the back of the coffee maker, hitting it on before leaving. As he closed the door he could faintly hear Aizawa talking about him.

"He's a good kid, I just wish he was more secure in himself."

"He'll gain confidence in time."

Soon enough there was nothing more he could help with. Students started trickling in and he made his way to the auditorium for the exam's orientation. His fingers tapped rapidly against his thigh in an attempt to burn some of the remaining nervous energy. He itched to do something more.

Apparently he wasn't paying enough attention. He tripped over his own feet and started on a nosedive toward the ground. He didn't even think to catch himself.

Thankfully he didn't need to. While he braced for impact he started floating and heard a small giggle to his left.

"Are you okay? I stopped you with my quick."

He felt his feet touch the ground and looked over at the happy voice. He started to stammer out a quick thanks but she kept talking. She was fueled by nervous energy, just like him.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask first. I figured you wouldn't mind me catching you. Isn't this all way nerve-wracking?"

Izuku tried to say something but his throat had locked up and he couldn't make a noise. He just waved his hands and signed a shaky thanks. It was lost on the girl.

"I guess I'll see you later. Bye!"

And just like that the girl, who's name wasn't known, scampered off into the auditorium down the hall. Soon he followed and took his seat, right next to Bakugo. He seemed to ignore him, turning his head away and scoffing at his presence.

"Whats up UA candidates!" a large voice boomed. Izuku may have set up the speakers but that doesn't mean he would remember how loud they were. He also may have known it would be his Pa screaming into the microphone but it didn't get any less comical.

"Thanks for tuning into me, your school DJ! C'mon let me hear ya!"

Silence roared through the crowd and he registered the urge to laugh.

"Even and mellow, that's alright. I'll keep it frank for the main show. Let's start talking about the practical, okay? Are you ready?!"

Once again, no one made a sound. Izuku could see him sigh and roll his eyes from behind his glasses.

"Like your application said, today you rocking boys and girls will be out there conducting your own mock battles in urban settings! After I drop my mic here you'll all be sent to your specified battle settings. Okay, okay let's check out your targets, there are three types of mock villains in each battle setting, each one awards points based on their level of difficulty. Your goal is to get points by using your quirk to shred these villains like a mid-song guitar solo. But hold it, make sure you're keeping things heroic. Attacking other examinees is a big no no in the UA"

A man stood up in front of Izuku, startling him. Lights shined on him immediately and he briefly wondered if something was wrong. The anxiety in him kicked up instantaneously.

"Excuse me sir but I have a question, On the printout you've listed four types of villains not three. With all due respect if this is an error on official UA material it is shameful. We are exemplary students, we expect the best from japans most notable school. A mistake such as this won't do."

Suddenly, the man turned around and pointed right at Izuku. "Additionally, you with the unkempt hair, you've been muttering this entire time. Stop that. If you can't bother to take this seriously leave. You're distracting the rest of us."

Izuku curled into himself, trying to ignore the laughter of those around him. He zoned out but even then, he could see the look on Yamada's face sharpen for a second. He quickly switched back into his radio show host mentality.

"All right all right examinee number 7111, thanks for calling in with your request, the fourth villain type is worth zero points, that buy is just an obstacle we'll be throwing in your way. There is one in every battle center, think of it as a hurdle you should try to avoid. It's not that it can't be beaten, but that there is kind of no point. I recommend my listeners try to ignore it and focus on topping the charts."

"Thank you very much please continue."

Izuku didn't hear the rest of the speech, focusing on his breathing and trying to ground himself. He had to make it through this. He had to prove to everyone he deserved to be here just as much as the rest of the students.

He zoned back in around the time Yamada screamed "Go! There is no countdown in real battles."

He launched himself onto the battlefield, running right behind the masses as they scattered and taking a sharp right, diverging from the crowd.

He felt his legs gain power and he ran faster, channeling One-For-All at a meager one percent in order to outrun the rest. His breath came out in huffs and he ended up with tunnel vision.

A one pointer arrived and was immediately punched into the floor. He ducked under another boy's quirk, a lazer, and he continued his run over the corpse of a robot. He hardly tripped on the jagged metal. He felt his pant leg rip.

A three-pointer made itself known and it was destroyed just as quickly. It was followed by a two pointer and another three. He had nine points currently. It was not enough for him. He felt the time winding down rapidly as the corpses of robots started littering the streets. The other students were far better at this than he was.

It was then an explosion caught his attention. A building crumbled to the ground in a mass of dust and smoke and from it rose a robot the size of a skyscraper. It was the zero pointer.

Everyone turned to make a run for it and Izuku was about to do the same thing. He got his feet under him when he heard a tiny whimper and the voice of a girl call out in pain. He glanced at the noise and his legs moved before he thought of it. Izuku was already in the air when he finally realized what he was doing. He hardly felt his legs shatter beneath him. His eyes trained on the robot in front of him. He was not going to let anyone get injured – much less the girl who was nothing but kind.

He yelled as his fist lit up in green lightening. He felt his wrist explode in pain as the robot did.

And then he started falling.

He felt the air get forced out of his lungs in an involuntary scream. He tried to move his arm and legs but found them to be completely shattered. He had adrenaline to thank – without it he would be in nothing but pure pain. He was going to die. He couldn't afford to die. He readied his fist, preparing to punch the ground and saying a prayer to the god he hoped forgave him, and prepared to enter eternal nothingness.

Instead, he was slapped on the cheek.

The kind girl from earlier had escaped the debris and rose up to slap him. Her ankle was bent in an uncomfortable position but she had risked damaging herself in order to save him.

"Release."

He fell to the ground. The world spun around him as he tried to move forward, crawling with a single arm.

"Just, one more point."

A buzzer sound. He heard his father call the end of the test.

And his world went dark.

He opened his eyes up in the teacher's lounge with his head on Yamada's lap. His body was aching like his veins had pumped fire. He felt absolutely exhausted. He curled his head back into the lap, not bothering to keep his eyes open.

"Hey little listener. You overdid yourself a little."

"You're an idiot," Aizawa said. His voice came from the other couch.

Izuku hummed in acknowledgement, wrapping his arms around Yamada before beginning to sob quietly. He was spent. He was tired. His entire body was sore, and his head was pounding. He felt like a failure.

"You did well," Yamada said, running his fingers through his hair. He let him cry. He deserved to let the emotions out in a healthy manner.

"He broke both of his fucking legs and shattered an arm," Aizawa said sharply. He sighed heavily. Izuku could hear footsteps coming closer and a hand gently touch his back.

"You're reckless, kiddo, but you did well. Don't you dare scare me like that again, though."